


The Dawn Of A New Day

by thorkified



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Abandonment, Angst with a Happy Ending, Finding each other again, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Mpreg, Light Angst, Loneliness, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 10:52:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15338283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thorkified/pseuds/thorkified
Summary: When Loki hears the voice for the first time, he doesn't know where it comes from or what it means. As it continues to speak, however, he begins to listen and with its help, Loki eventually finds himself back on Midgard. He doesn't know how he survived Thanos' attempt at killing him or the explosion that followed, but he is alive and, what's more important, he's not alone.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A Drabble that ended in a longer fic that I am co-writing with the-sun-shining-on-thorki on tumblr, so stay tuned for some more after this <3

Loki is surrounded by darkness. He doesn’t feel any pain, doesn’t feel anything at all, as if nothing outside of this exists anymore. It’s an emptiness inside and out, one that is almost peaceful in its own way. 

Suddenly, a small, quiet voice reaches his ears. It's a voice he doesn't know, never heard before, but it feels familiar somehow. It feels  _ good _ .

"You have to wake up now." 

But Loki doesn't want to wake up. Waking up means facing this monster again, it means seeing his brother suffer, maybe even worse than that. Loki just wants to stay curled into a ball and drift in this calm darkness for all eternity. 

"You have to wake up,  _ please _ ."

Eventually, Loki does open his eyes, because the voice starts to sound different now. Sad and almost... scared? When he takes in his surroundings, he is completely thunderstruck for a moment. All around him is nothing but colors and lights, the cold almost stinging even for him and right in front of him, bright and huge, is the sun. He is floating in space.

"What the hell?" Loki whispers to himself, suddenly realizing that this is not all. He is surrounded by something like a bubble? It looks wavering and liquid, but when he reaches out with his hand it's solid and warm. And somehow, it feels like the air before lightning strikes.

"Are you okay?" the voice asks again and Loki looks around, instinctively searching for it. He frowns, realizing the voice didn't come from outside, but was inside his head.

"Yeah... I'm okay..." he mumbles, wondering if he's losing his mind, now that he answers voices in his head.

"We have to get away from here," the voice says, so frightened that Loki can't miss it.

"And how?" Loki asks, slightly annoyed. "I'm floating in space!"

"The barrier. Use it to teleport away. I can't hold it up much longer."

Loki has no idea what that means, but he's too exhausted to argue with a voice in his head. He presses his hands against the bubble surrounding him, causing them to tingle and sting slightly.

"What now?" he asks, feeling like a complete idiot. At least no one can see him like this.

"Earth... you know where." 

Loki knows. Whatever this is, however he survived this madness, he knows where on earth he needs to go. He closes his eyes, focusing his sedir into his hands and concentrates on teleporting himself away. It's been years since he has done this, but when his body starts to feel warm, as if a fire is burning inside of him, he knows he didn't forget how to do it.

When he crashes onto the grass and rolls away from the cliff he had seen before his inner eye, Loki can't help but laugh.

"I did it!" he almost screeches, tears of relief rolling down his cheeks. "I'm alive!"

He just lays there for a few minutes, laughing and crying and looking up at the sky. The barrier is gone, the fire in his body faded away. Now there is just the amazingly fresh air, the grass beneath him and the sky above - and this sheer euphoria that doesn’t seem to fade away. That is, until Loki realizes that the voice that spoke to him before is gone too.

“Are you still there?” he asks, sitting up. He knows it’s useless, given the voice had been in his head, but he still looks around to see if he is alone or not. Maybe one of Thor’s friends is responsible for this? But no matter how long he searches, there is no one with him.

Eventually, Loki stands up and walks around the area a little. The voice had said earth, that he would know where and this was the only place Loki could think of. Here, where it all ended and began at the same time. Here, where they had learned the truth. Here, where Thor wanted to rebuild Asgard and give their people hope again. It’s the only right place, the only place that matters.

“I don’t know who you are, but thank you,” Loki says, smiling up at the sky. “You saved me.”

Suddenly, something strange is going on. There is a warm feeling in his stomach, a faint fluttering that Loki cannot explain at first. Then, when it slowly dawns on him, his eyes widen in surprise and he covers his stomach with a hand. He doesn’t even realize that he tears up, the realization so overwhelming that his emotions are boiling over and he sinks to his knees, sobbing.

It all makes sense now, everything. The barrier, why it felt like electricity was flowing through his hands when he touched it, why the voice sounded so good and familiar. Why he was alive, even though he should have died on that cursed ship.

Loki can’t believe it, it’s too good to be true, but the evidence is everywhere. The second the thought alone of this being a dream creeps into his ming the fluttering comes back, as if it wants to prove his fears wrong. Loki wraps his arms around his middle, a happy and gentle smile on his face.

“I will protect you, I promise,” Loki whispers with a heavy voice. “You are safe now.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After more than a year and plagued with dreams that he cannot escape, Thor leaves the safe haven he and the remaining Asgardians have found in Wakanda to find a new home for them. Without any hope for his long lost brother to return, Thor is heartbroken and fights to let go, but what he discovers when he reaches the place of his dreams is more than he could have ever wished for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Co-written with the wonderful the-sun-shining-on-thorki on tumblr. Without you I couldn't have finished this <3

After defeating Thanos, he and those who had survived his attack, had found shelter in Wakanda and for some time, Thor had felt a glimmer of hope. His people were safe for now and he was sure that, one day, even the one he was so desperately waiting for would return to them. One day, Loki would come back. 

But, as the months passed, without a sign of his lost brother returning to him, his hope diminished more day after day. His people had moved on with their life, settling down in Wakanda and finding peace again, but Thor had not. He was waiting.

A year had passed when the dreams began. Dreams of the place in Norway, where they had watched Odin disappear so long ago, where Thor had hoped to find his own peace one day, with Loki. And in those dreams, Loki was back. He was happy and smiling, there was laughter and warmth and sometimes Loki held a little bundle in his arms that he pressed against his heart in sheer joy.

Night after night he jerked up from those dreams, crying and sweating and with a scream stuck in his throat. They left him with an agonizing sadness and grief, showing a future that had been ripped away from him in the most brutal way imaginable. Yet, as much as he hated that those dreams would never become reality, he craved them even more because they were the only times he saw his brother’s face again. Thor wanted them to end and to continue, a circle he could not escape and that slowly pushed him into a maddening depression.

After talking to fellow Avengers, Thor decided that dwelling in Wakanda soulless and in pain would not help at all. He woke up one day after another dream, and packed up. He explained to his people that they would need to have their own Kingdom one day, and as their King, it would be his duty to seek out the best place for them to build their legacy. His people were reluctant to see him go, having grown attached to their sovereign. Seeing the pain and loss in his eyes, however, they were convinced that their King needed to heal and his journey might be the way to numb his pain.

It took him another month to arrive at Norway, the place he had always thought would be their destination. He could have arrived earlier, but it took him a while to build up the courage to revisit the land he last spent with his brother. When he saw the cliff-side again, Thor felt his numb heart slowly bleeding with the loss. It could have been their home after losing Asgard.

For a long moment, all Thor could do was stand still and wait. All he had lost over the last two years weighed down on him, the grief and guilt so heavy he could barely breathe. They had talked about their new kingdom, Loki and him, about how they would make it better and peaceful and how they would rule side by side, just how it should have been all along. Seeing this place now, all by himself, made him realize that their dream had been shattered into millions of pieces.

Thor didn’t know how much time passed before he finally managed to walk again. He only noticed the small hut to his right when he could almost see the sea in front of him and for a second, his heart stopped beating. It was like a flashback from his dream, like a vision that made his heart ache like nothing else had before. Slowly, Thor began to walk over to it, hoping against all hope that, if he opened the door, he would be greeted by the one he was yearning for so much it caused him physical pain. 

When Thor eventually pushed the door open with shaking hands, he found the hut to be completely empty and dark. His heart dropped in his chest and let out a sound that was almost a sigh, but sounded more like a desperate whimper. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the small cradle next to the bed and he slowly walked over to it, almost in trance. It was just as empty as the hut itself, but he still stared at it with so much intensity, it almost felt like he tried to bring the memories of his dreams to life.  Despite the fact that Thor had guessed this hut was likely inhabited, seeing the emptiness inside was almost as if reaffirming his stupidity for believing in miracles.

He remained in the house for several minutes, sucking in the reality as the means to accept it. Closing his eyes, he turned around and exited the hut. 

_ That’s it _ , he thought,  _ it’s time to wake up and deal with the aftermath. My people need me. _

Thor stood on the edge of the cliff-side, wiping away some of the tears as he looked at the sea before him. 

_ The wind is strong _ , he thought. He would need to ensure the future architecture could withstand the force of it. Thor could still remember the gold dust his father transformed into as he departed this world. He would become someone like Odin, who ruled without emotions in order to move forward for there was no other way.

_ Right _ , Thor thought,  _ I will need to check out the other areas of this land. _ He sucked in another salty sea breeze before preparing to leave. At the corner of his eyes, however, he noticed a small dot standing far away, along the cliffside.

This sudden discovery threw Thor off for a moment. He couldn’t be sure, but it looked like a person was standing there. If they were to rebuild Asgard here, the help of a local would be very important and Thor figured it would be a good idea to see if his assumption was true. If it was, he could speak to them and maybe make things easier for everyone. 

He walked along the cliff-line, his steps hesitant and slow and his eyes focused on the small dot that grew slightly larger the closer he got. The way was uneven and rocky, from time to time he had to jump over a small crack or walk around a larger one, but he kept going and after a while, he was able to make out the figure more and more. 

It was a person indeed, a tall one from what he could tell, and when he noticed the flowing, black hair, his heart skipped a beat, making him tumble for a moment. Thor stopped in his tracks, his mouth running dry.

_ Norns, I am begging you _ , he thought, trying to ignore the stinging ache in his chest.  _ If you have any miracles left to give, let this hope be not in vain. _

When he continued walking towards the person in front of him, Thor’s steps were less determined than before. He could not ignore this spark of hope flaring up in him, even less when he came closer and could make out the dark green robe the person wore. Their back was turned towards him, but it suddenly felt as if the air had changed, as if it was somehow richer and heavier than just moments before.

Thor had always been able to sense Loki. Frigga told him that he had been hyper excited the morning before Odin came back to Asgard with Loki. Thor sensed the new arrival earlier than Frigga. The reason why Thor could tell his brother had usurped the throne, was the change in atmosphere. He could feel the man before him was not his father. Similarly, Thor knew that the figure standing at the tip of the cliff was not a stranger.

When the figure became closer, Thor stopped in his stride. That person had something in his arms, and it took a few seconds of observation before Thor recognised that the person was not alone: he had a toddler in his arms. That figure wasn’t looking at his direction, he and the child were busy observing the scenery before them. Thor saw the man pointing that the sea waves as the toddler’s gaze followed his finger.

The baby must have done something, for the next second Thor saw the man throwing his head back and laugh. The toddler clapped his hands and wriggled in his arms, happy to have created such a response. They were so happy and in bliss. Thor could not move forward and stood paralysed. He wanted to soak in the beautiful image of his beloved and his child and one movement might fracture the illusion forever.

If he could have looked at this beautiful vision in front of him forever, Thor would have done so without any hesitation. It had been so long that he had heard Loki’s laugh, he only now realized just how much he had truly missed the sound of it. And the child, whose laugh was so crystal clear and so full of joy, made his heart ache with a love he could barely process.

Suddenly, the child in his brother’s arms turned its head, meeting Thor’s eyes. Almost immediately it laughed again and started to wiggle and reach out with its hands, catching Loki’s attention. Loki looked down at the child for a moment before following its gaze and when his eyes fell on Thor, his lips turned into a gentle and warm smile.

“It took you long enough,” Loki said softly, turning around.

Thor didn’t know what to say. Just hearing his brother’s voice, hearing it again after all this time and fearing he had lost it forever, made his chest tighten and his eyes water.

He was still frightened of them just disappearing into thin air, proving themselves as nothing but a fraction of his memory and dreams and he knew, if that were to happen, his heart would forever shatter. Loki suddenly took a step towards him, closing the distance and reaching up with his hand, Thor closed his eyes and prayed it would not all end there - and if it would, he didn’t want to see his brother vanish in front of him. When Loki’s cool and soft fingers brushed over his stubbed cheek, Thor could not stand looking away anymore, teary blue eyes meeting those beautiful emerald ones he never thought he would see again. He was completely mesmerized.

“Brother...” 

Loki tilted his head to one side, curious when he received little response. He realised that Thor was not responding at all, as his brother stood still on the same spot as a minute before. With a few seconds of examination, Loki found out what to do. He slowly moved closer to the god of thunder, cooing as he gently placed the child into those muscular arms.

Thor’s arms were wooden as he cradled the child, his face stuck with a mixture of awe, realisation and ultimately, gratitude when he finally looked down. The weight of the child had reassured Thor that all was well. Loki was there with him, and their union had brought forth a son. A son that Thor now laid eyes on for the very first time.

“He has your temper,” Loki smiled, making his brother look up from the giggling and grabbing little one in his arms. He couldn’t believe this, couldn’t believe that after so much sadness and loneliness, he would be blessed with Loki and this beautiful child he was holding.

“And your eyes,” he finally said, his voice a trembling crackle. Their son was pulling on his hair now, screeching in delight when Thor showed the slightest reaction. 

“We were waiting for you to come back,” Loki said, his hand still resting on Thor’s cheek and his smile the most beautiful thing his brother had seen in a long time. “To come home.”

“I didn’t know, Loki,” Thor muttered, a single tear escaping his eyes and rolling down his cheek. He had never felt so much guilt in his life and the way it began to overshadow his happiness and relief was terrifying him to the very core. “I promise, if I would have known…”

“I know, brother,” Loki shushed him, leaning forward to press the most tender kiss on Thor’s cheek. “You are here now, nothing else matters.”

Thor could still remember the night they were together, body and soul, and in which they had conceived their son. The way his brother slowly stripped himself in front of him, dropping the cup lid on the ground before embracing him. He had kissed his brother, crushing his body underneath his own before entering Loki. 

They were desperate, having lost their homeland and their union that night on the Statesman had reassured them of their bond. Thor had missed his brother’s warmth and his firm body pressing against him underneath the sheets. And after more than a year’s worth of separation, Loki was once in his arms. 

The little boy between them gazed back and forth, trying to interact with his cooing. When he noticed he was neglected, he took his chubby fist out of his mouth and proceeded to smear drool on the bearded man before him. His attempt was successful as the man broke into a laugh, holding him tighter against his hard chest.

“I think he likes you,” Loki smiled and brushed a hand through the little boy’s blond, short hair. The child smiled at him and grabbed his fingers happily.

“He’s beautiful,” Thor whispered, still in awe over this whole situation. They had only had one night, one beautiful and emotional get together and he would have never thought that something as incredible as this would be the outcome. He was so overwhelmed with love for this child, he could barely believe it himself. “What’s his name?”

“Arkyn,” Loki said, looking back up at his brother. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Thor answered with a heavy, thick voice. “And I love  _ him _ .”

Thor would be content with staying eternally in that cliff side forever with his two beloved people, but his son clearly wasn’t. Arkyn started to grow impatient and fuss in Thor’s arms. 

“We should go home, the little one is tired.” Loki brushed Thor’s lips before guiding the taller man to turn back.

\---

Thor sat in a chair in Loki’s hut, watching his brother feed Arkyn carefully. Loki had made him some tea, but he paid no attention to the drink or to anything else but his beloved one and their son. Everything about this felt sacred somehow, every giggle from the little one and every smile from Loki warming his heart in ways nothing else had been able to for so long. 

The fireplace was crackling behind Thor, slowly filling the hut with a pleasant warmth, and for a while, he simply got lost in the moment. Loki fed their son a spoonful of his meal, smiled and wiped away anything that escaped Arkyn’s mouth when he smiled or laughed. It was peaceful to watch, with Loki’s gentle expression and their son’s contentment.

After feeding Arkyn and putting him to bed, something Thor did not interrupt because he feared he might make it more difficult for the little one to fall asleep, Loki finally turned to him again with a warm and almost apologetic smile.

“He is usually not this calm,” he explained, holding back a chuckle as he sat down across from his brother. His smile faltered slightly as he wrung his hands and looked up at Thor.

There was tension in the air now, they could both feel it. From the outside, Thor heard a distant rumbling, indicating just how nervous he truly was and there was no doubt that Loki heard it too. Now, with Arkyn asleep and nothing to interrupt them anymore, they had to face the harsh truth of reality and Thor didn’t know if he could.

“I believed you dead…” Thor eventually said, dropping his gaze as the words still stung too much to look at his brother, even though he sat before him very much alive and well. “I thought…”

“Come with me,” Loki suddenly interrupted his brother, taking one of his hands and standing up. Thor followed him without being able to ask what he was doing, too confused about the sudden change of events to even think about protesting.

Outside the hut, Loki let go of Thor’s hand and closed the door carefully.

“I have something to show you, come,” Loki simply said and walked around the building. Even more confused than before now, Thor followed him and only seconds later, stood before a steaming hot spring that had surely not been there when they had come back.

“Loki?” he asked, earning a tender smile.

“You need to relax, brother,” Loki explained and walked over to Thor, his hands almost gently taking off his brother’s cape. “We have all the time in the world now, allow yourself a moment to rest for once.”

With Loki’s hands working him out of his clothes, Thor was rendered more defenseless than he had expected. There were so many things on his mind, so many things he wanted to say and so many questions he wanted to ask, but they all seemed to become less urgent with his brother tending to him so gently and careful.

Loki dropped his own robe after undressing Thor, then took his hand and slowly stepped into the hot spring, pulling his brother with him. For a moment, the warm and almost hot water felt uncomfortable on Thor’s skin, which was slightly sweating from his nervousness, but it quickly faded when Loki smiled at him. He allowed his brother to pull him down into the water, not for a moment letting his eyes drift away from Loki’s gentle and loving gaze.

The water was a relief for Thor’s tense muscles, but even more so were his brother’s tender and gentle hands that refused to leave him. Loki was careful, trailing his fingers along Thor’s biceps and slowly gliding closer to him. Thor let out a content sigh at this touch he had longed for so desperately, unable to not melt under his brother’s hands. Loki moved on to his chest, allowing his palms to caress his muscles as he washed his brother. After a few minutes, when Thor finally rested his own hands on his back, Loki sighed in relief.

Loki pressed his body against Thor’s with a delicate and wonderful eagerness. Thor was completely intoxicated by this, brushing his lips over Loki’s neck and pressing tender kisses on his skin. His breath hot against his brother, Thor could not hold the words back that followed.

“I have missed you so much, brother. I was dying without you.”

Loki’s hands cupped Thor’s chin, his fingertips brushing ever so slightly over his adam’s apple as he lifted his head up. The look in his eyes as they found Thor’s was full of a million unspoken words and  Thor hoped with all his heart that he would have time to hear every last one of them.

“You don’t have to miss me anymore, brother,” Loki whispered, his lips brushing once more over Thor’s as he spoke. “You are home now and you never have to leave again.”

When Loki’s lips finally pressed against his, Thor wrapped his arms around his brother as tight as he could. He had waited for this moment, had dreamed about it again and again, and it was still more intense and perfect that he could have ever imagined. Loki’s body against his, feeling and touching him again after such a long time apart, was a gift he had never expected and cherished like nothing else.

At last, Thor had found a way out of this darkness, back into the light that Loki’s love was for him.  Serenity wasn’t something often associated with Loki, being the god of mischief and chaos. However, in his arms, Thor finally found peace again for the first time.


End file.
